Our Nest Egg
by Esmeia
Summary: Blythe introduces the pets to a fun new project she's participating in at school. (Contains Russel/Minka, Vinnie/Penny Ling, Sunil/Pepper, and Digby/Zoe. Also a hint of Josh/Blythe.)
1. Chapter 1

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 1**

**XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Taking a small break from "What's A Panda To Do" to write a cute, short story involving some of my favorite shippings in LPS. I got the basic idea from watching various series that centered around the "taking care of an egg as parents" thing and I thought it was too cute not to try out. Enjoy!_

_**XoxoxoxoxoX**_

"Hey, guys! I'm home!" Blythe joked as she opened to door leading into the day-camp of Littlest Pet Shop. She smiled at the bright little faces that turned to face her. "Did you miss me?"

"Blythe!"

The various small animals immediately gathered around to enthusiastically greet the human girl, accompanied by affectionate sounds and a few of them jumping up to lick her. Blythe couldn't help but smile at the warm welcome she always received from her animal friends, but it always took a lot to calm them down and let each individual tell her about their day. When the last pet gave their update, she reached inside her backpack to take out her well-protected surprise.

"Ta-da!" she said proudly. The pets stared at it blankly, some even glancing at each other as if they were looking for help on how to react to Blythe's actions.

"Um... that's beautiful, Blythe!" Zoe said brightly, never one to want to embarrass her good friend.

"Yeah, uh... it's... somethin'!" Pepper agreed with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, er... it's an _egg,_" commented Russel, looking at her pointedly. "An egg."

Blythe laughed. "Not just any egg! It's my project for this week!"

"Your project is an egg? I don't understand human education at all," Sunil said with a scratch of his head. "I do not mean that to be rude, but what are you supposed to get out of it, Blythe?"

"I'm glad you asked, Sunil," Blythe smiled, pulling out her instruction sheet and skimming it over once more, even though she knew exactly what to do already thanks to reading it repeatedly beforehand at school. "See, our teacher wants to teach us about parenthood and all the responsibility and stuff that goes along with it. So, he's paired us all up and we have to be mothers and fathers to our 'child'. This egg." Blythe held up the white object for all to see once more. The pets looked on in amazement. "We're not to let any harm come to it. Once the week is over, we're have to give a report on what we learned about parenthood. This is also supposed to help us really think wisely about children in the future. Cool, huh?"

Some of the pets nodded their heads from impression or agreement. Others simply looked around, unsure. Russel, however, looked absolutely thrilled with the idea, feeling a burning passion inside him to try out the simulation. He turned to the others with his eyes twinkling with scientific enthusiasm.

"Guys, we should try this too!" the orange hedgehog insisted. His friends regarded him with surprise. Since when did he show so much energy? _Ever?_

"Uh, _why_?"Vinnie asked with a look of disgust. "We're not in school, Russel. _Duh!_"

"Vinnie, please show some intellectual curiosity, alright?" Russel returned irritably, folding his little arms. "Come on, guys, this could be a very rewarding experience. If Blythe's peers can give it a shot, why can't us pets here at Littlest Pet Shop?"

"Oh, alright, already!" Pepper said in exasperation, who wasn't eager to hear one of Russel's drawn out speeches on the importance of education. "If it'll make you happy. But we don't have any eggs to take care of."

"Actually, you do." Blythe reached inside and pulled out a small carton of medium-sized eggs. She gave them all a knowing smile. "I knew when I told you about it, you'd all be on-board."

Russel blushed. "Ha, I think you know us a little too well."

Blythe beamed. "Alright, what pairs are you all going to be in?"

"Oh! Russel and me! Russel and me!" chimed Minka excitedly, hopping up and down and attempting to grab one of the eggs from Blythe. She smiled at Russel. "You'll be my partner, right? Right?"

Their friends looked at them and Russel couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. But, truth be told, he was going to ask Minka to be the co-parent anyway. Just, not in such a public and exuberant manner...

"Yes, Minka, I'll be your partner," Russel replied quickly, gently tugging at her long tail to make her calm down. "Careful, or you'll drop it!"

"No worries, Russel," Minka said confidently, holding the egg Blythe placed in her hands with unusual care. "It'll be fine with the two of us keeping watch!"

Blythe made a little note on a folded sheet of paper. "Okay, that's Russel and Minka," she muttered. She looked back at the rest of the group. "Who else?"

Penny Ling eagerly stepped forward, raising her paw. "Oh! Me next, Blythe!"

It was no surprise that the small purple and white panda was eager to join in. While pandas were commonly associated with being kind and gentle, Penny Ling was all that and then some. It was only natural to assume that she'd be the motherly type as well. Blythe gently passed her an egg.

"Alright. But who will be your partner?" she asked.

Penny Ling looked as if she hadn't given it much thought. She looked towards the two unclaimed males and quickly pointed out the shorter of the two. "Vinnie! If that's okay...?" she added uncertainly.

"M-Me?" Vinnie pointed at himself, taken aback. Sunil nudged him forward, smirking. "Oh! Uh, I guess I don't mind," he said coolly, walking over to stand next to Penny Ling and gazing at their egg curiously. Blythe jotted it down.

"Zoe? You in?" she asked the little Spaniel.

Zoe nodded firmly. "But of course!"

"Then you and Sunil –"

"_UGH!_" Zoe looked horrified, giving the blue mongoose next to her a quick once over. "Absolutely not! Digby's coming by today, darling, and I can't wait to ask him to..." she sighed, looking off distractedly. "Be a parent with me. Eeee, it's just so romantic!" the purple dog squealed.

Even though Sunil had no allusions of partnering up with Zoe, he couldn't help but be a little offended. "You didn't have to say it like _that, _you know!"

"Sorry, Sunil. It's nothing personal," Zoe returned, though she didn't seem at all choked up about it. Out of nowhere, she whipped out her favorite photograph of her crush, wagging her tail. "It's just that no one else can compare to Digby... it's not your fault."

Blythe held back a laugh. Not because she thought it was all that funny, but because of how similar she and the little dog could be when it came to their love interests. Did she look so _obviously_ lovestruck when she was around her current partner and long time crush, Josh Sharp? _Yeesh, I sure hope not, _Blythe thought.

"Good grief," Sunil sighed, rolling his eyes. He looked to his skunk friend. "How about you and I...?"

"Sure!" Pepper smiled. "Sounds like a good way to pass the time until my new comedy props come in."

"Then it's settled!" Blythe said with a flourish of her pencil. She stood up and looked around at all of them. "I'll keep track of how you're doing and at the end of the day, we'll see if you anything from it. Just be sure to have fun, guys."

The pets nodded and looked at their eggs, their pretend children, and wondered how the day would go.

**XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Next chapter will be up shortly!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 2**

******XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ This chapter will focus on Russel and Minka's experience!_

_**XoxoxoxoxoX**_

Wasn't it weird how many of the best-laid plans never came out the way they were intended to? In fact, Russel found it to be downright sad. Especially when your partner was an excitable and somewhat reckless spider monkey. In hindsight, this probably wasn't one of his _better_ ideas.

"Minka, please! Be very careful with that egg," said Russel worriedly as he watched the pink female swing merrily from perch to perch. "We just got it! Think... think of it as a newborn infant," he added, in the hopes of her taking the experiment more seriously.

"I'm just having a little fun with Bianca, Russel!" Minka replied, quite unruffled by his words. She smiled warmly at the egg in her free hand, as if she were peering down at her own flesh and blood. "She just loves to play really high up with her Mommy! Don't you, Bianca?" Minka cooed, pressing it against her cheek.

"Bianca?" Russel returned blankly. "Who decided to name it _Bianca_?"

"I did!" Minka replied, as if it wasn't obvious. She shot her partner a disapproving look. "And it is not an _it, _it's a _she_!"

"First of all, you can't just decide on a name for our egg without my knowledge!" Russel began impatiently, tapping his small foot. "Secondly, your playing around like that will inevitably hurt him!"

"_Her!_" Minka insisted irritably.

Russel folded his arms and scoffed. "It could be an unhatched male, for all you know. And if it is a male, he can't be named Bianca! Dexter is a much more suitable name for someone born from my intelligence," Russel said proudly, puffing out his little chest. Minka narrowed her eyes and hopped down, letting go of their egg and easily coiling her tail around it before it fell to the ground.

"What are you saying? That Bianca doesn't like swinging around? She's part monkey, you know! She's got energy to burn, things to climb, funny noises to make!" Minka argued, waving her arms around to emphasize her point. "That's what us monkeys like to do! You can't stop her from doing what she was made to do!"

Russel grabbed the egg from her tail, checking it over for any damage that he was almost certain it had suffered while in her care. "And _he's_ part _hedgehog_," he pointed out. "Hedgehogs don't do all of that. We like to have our feet planted firmly on the ground and live more quietly, less dangerously. You're being inconsiderate, Minka."

Minka gasped. "Me? Inconsiderate!? How am _I_ being inconsiderate? I just want the best for our little _Bianca_!"

"Well, I don't think you know what's best for _Dexter_!" Russel shot back, growing equally irate as she was. The other partners glanced over at them, but the two of them didn't seem to care. "I think it's best if I watch over it for the rest of the day. His _his_ safety."

"But I was doing just fine!" Minka snapped, her cheeks tinted red from frustration and the sting of Russel's words. She turned her back on him and began to stomp off. "You know what? Fine! I guess I can't help it that poor Bianca has such an uptight jerk for a dad!"

Before Russel could reply, Minka hopped away and quickly made way for the opposite side of the room. Sunil, who was in her way, immediately jumped back, noting the anger in her baby-blue eyes. Russel's spikes bristled and he glared at her retreating back.

_Hm! I was only trying to teach her the right way to care for it. This is supposed to be a learning experience. What if she ever has her own offspring one day? How can she honestly say she'd be a good parent to them when she can't even take care of a simple egg?_

He shook his head, starting to regret his choice in a partner.

"Don't worry, Dexter. Your father won't let your future be compromised," he assured the little egg in his paws. "I'm going to stress discipline, education, and self-restraint. All things a good adult should have!"

**XoxoxoxoxoX**

Minka couldn't recall too many times when someone had upset and offended her to the extent that Russel had. She would have never thought he could be so mean in a trillion years! Her tail coiled and uncoiled as she replayed the conversation they had just moments ago. Earlier, she had been so happy at the idea caring for a pretend-child with him. She thought it would be a fun game to pretend to be parents, as she really did want to have her own little one one day. But, clearly, the "joys of parenthood" were greatly exaggerated. Totally exaggerated!

"Stupid Russel," Minka grumbled as she released her frustrations through her art, violently hitting the canvas with various hues of paint. "I just wanted to have fun with this, but _no_. He's always got to suck the fun out of every – little – _thing!_" Minka iterated each word with a firm smack of her hand against the wet canvas. "Serves me right for choosing him –"

"Minka? Are... you okay?"

The frustrated little monkey turned to look up at the concerned Blythe. Blythe kept a safe distance, but bent down to rest on one knee in front of her paint-splattered friend. "What's up? Where's Russel and your egg?"

"Oh. I'm sure Russel's taking good care of Bianca," Minka said, her voice dripping in resentful sarcasm. "Probably has her locked in a padded cell, cut off from all the fun in the world. That's just how he'd want it! Blythe, can you believe he thought I was a bad parent all because I was playing with the egg?" Minka didn't wait for a response as she shook her head in disgust and disbelief. "Who does he think he is, right?"

Blythe nodded. "I understand how you feel. But, Minka... you know you have to be careful with babies, yeah?"

"I know! But what's the harm in just swinging around and letting loose? It's not like I dropped her or anything," Minka said, growing defensive. "I would never want to hurt her! Even if it is just my pretend-baby...!"

Blythe smiled warmly. "I know you'd never do anything to hurt anyone, especially 'Bianca'. But even good intentions can have bad results, Minka. Even if you only wanted to have fun and play, you could have accidentally hurt the egg. Russel just wanted you to cut back, I think. He was just worried."

Minka's eyes widened and she grew silent. She sat down and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Well... when you put it _that_ way, I guess that was all he was trying to say. But he said it all wrong!" Minka pouted.

Blythe scooped up the pig-tailed pet. "I'm sure he didn't mean it. Come on, let's go check on Daddy Russel."

On the other side of the pet shop, Russel had comfortably seated his "son" and had somehow produced a small chalkboard and learning books to start lessons. The earlier, the better, he always believed. The sooner Dexter learned to use sound reasoning and critical thinking, the smoother things would go in his life! It was just common sense.

"Now, Dexter, we'll soon be getting into Physics," he went on, looking at the little egg. He imagined it nodding obediently. "Good boy."

Blythe sat down next to the egg with Minka in her lap. Russel regarded Minka nonchalantly. "Hi. Came to join the lesson?"

"Not quite. I already have plenty of those, thanks," Blythe laughed. She looked at the multitude of books surrounding the egg. Even Minka seemed somewhat impressed (and a little horrified) at the many difficult subjects Russel had planned to go over in only one day. "Wow... uh... Russel? You _do_ know that the egg is supposed to represent a baby, right?"

"Yes. What's your point?" Russel blinked.

Blythe sighed, setting back down one of the heavy textbooks. "I think you're going a little bit too far with the education part."

"Too far?!" Russel sputtered. "Education is the most important thing for a growing child! How can I sit back and not give Dexter the best education possible for when he goes out on his own? What kind of parent would be comfortable not giving their children the best possible chance?"

"I completely get what you're saying," Blythe conceded. "Education _is_ important. But I'm not so sure it is the _most_ important, Russel. Ever hear of the old saying 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'?"

"Who's Jack?" Minka asked.

"It's just an expression, Minka," Russel clarified. He rubbed his chin, reluctantly setting down his pointer. "I... guess you have a bit of a point there."

Blythe smiled. "And I fully believe in it. Why do you think lots of schools have recess or try to make fun projects like these?"

"At least it was supposed to be fun," Russel said guiltily, glancing at Minka. "I'm sorry. I guess I got too carried away. Maybe things were better off just letting you play instead."

Minka smiled and hopped down to meet him. "Russel, I'm sorry too. I don't think you're wrong for wanting Bianca – or Dexter," Russel smiled. "To be super-smart! I want him or her to be sharp too! But I just wanted it to learn how to relax and have fun, because that's part of what makes life so great, you know!"

Blythe looked on proudly and patted both of them fondly on the head. "You know what? Both of you were right; but parents need to learn to compromise and work together and bring out a balance of the two. Have fun, but have discipline. Learn as much as you can, but not take life so seriously. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" Russel and Minka laughed. They hugged each other briefly and happily returned to tending their egg.

"We should both agree on a name," Minka said, bouncing up and down.

"I agree. How about... Dee-Dee?" Russel suggested. "I like D names, and you like cute names."

"That's great!" Minka said, clapping her hands. She smiled warmly at their baby in Russel's hands. "Dee-Dee, we're going to really take good care of you from now on."

**XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ First time writing about one of my OTPs, and it was super fun! Russinka is such a great ship for me._


	3. Chapter 3

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 3**

**********XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Thank you for the kind feedback, as always!_

_This one will focus on Vinnie and Penny Ling. As some of you know, I've written an ongoing story involving these two, but not in a way that supports the pairing (my OTP for Vinnie is Buttercream, no doubt). But I absolutely adore this ship and it's getting pretty close to being tied with my OTP for Vinnie. Darn your cuteness, Penny Ling!_

_**********XoxoxoxoxoX**_

Motherhood was always dream of Penny Ling's. While it was pretty natural for most females to long for their own brood, being a panda, it was definitely a stronger desire than most. Although pandas were very rare due to illegal hunting (even with the somewhat recent strict protection of them), producing new ones was such a scarce achievement in and of itself, with or without the endangered status! That was why it was such a great spectacle when a baby panda was born into the world. She could remember, shortly after opening her eyes for the first time, just how many people from all walks of life admired and loved her just for being there, for existing.

All of that love and attention being showered on something so young and new might have been a little intimidating, to be sure, but Penny Ling grew to really appreciate it. As timid as she was, she still held a lot of confidence and assurance in herself. Not only did she want a child of her own to love and bring up right, she wanted it to feel that same sense of love and appreciation she had witnessed. What more could a mother ask for?

_Well, it just being an egg, that's not really possible, _she thought with a small giggle. _But it's something!_

"Penny Ling, what are you doing?" Vinnie asked cautiously. Penny Ling was wrapping something purple and pink around the middle of their egg.

"I'm giving it something nice to wear, of course," Penny Ling replied, as if it were obvious. Vinnie's eye twitched.

"Why give it a kimono? Why give it anything at all! It's an egg!" Vinnie said, motioning to it wildly. Penny Ling sat up straight and placed her paws on her ample hips.

"Vinnie, can't you take this a bit more seriously?" the panda scolded. Vinnie just looked at her. "Yes, in reality, it's an egg. But the point of this whole thing is to treat it like a child, our own offspring. Don't you want to treat it with care?"

Vinnie glanced back at the motionless egg and smoothed out his dark green frill. It was just really hard to look at the egg and think of it as a living, breathing creature that he was responsible for.

_I mean, a kid? MY kid? If this was a real lizard kid, it'd be all over the place!_

"I don't know. This just seems kinda stupid," he commented flatly. Penny Ling suddenly got an idea.

"It's not stupid at all, actually!"

"Huh?"

"Vinnie, you're a lizard, right?" Penny went on, leaning in.

"Yeah..." Vinnie said slowly, wondering what was up with her. "So?"

"So~" Penny Ling gently took his shoulders. "Lizards have eggs! This should really be something you should get into! One day, if you want, you'll be having eggs of your own. You'd have to help take care of it until it hatched, and even after that."

Vinnie's eyes widened. How couldn't he have thought of that before? Sure, he wasn't even sure he _wanted_ kids, but if he ever did, this was his chance to see how he could handle the responsibility. Everyone always doubted his ability to take things seriously, and he wanted to prove to himself that he could handle it. Maybe this wasn't such a waste of time after all!

"You know what? You're absolutely right, Penny Ling!" Vinnie said with a grin. "Let's get started."

Penny beamed down at him. "That's the spirit, Vinnie! Now, what name should we give him? Her?"

"I think I'd like a boy," Vinnie offered. "That cool with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine!" Penny Ling agreed. "I honestly wouldn't mind either."

"How about Ace for the name? That's perfect if he's gonna tear up the dance floor like his ol' dad," Vinnie said proudly, doing a few quick dance steps. Penny Ling rolled her eyes playfully.

"That's a good name."

"Alright, now that that's settled, I think we should start teaching this kid how to be a dancer," Vinnie said confidently. "Watch and learn, son!"

"Vinnie, just be careful," Penny Ling said warily, watching the green gecko do a wild jig around their egg. Rudeness wasn't her intention, but it was no secret how clumsy her friend could be. "He's just a baby."

"Don't sweat it," Vinnie dismissed, continuing his dancing. "It'll be fine."

_He's right, _Penny Ling reasoned, picking up her favorite dance ribbons. _Don't be a Russel! Parenthood is supposed to be a joy._

With this in mind, Penny Ling joined her scaly friend in teaching their little egg the wonders of dance. While Vinnie tap-danced around in his usual hyper-fast style, Penny Ling spun around gracefully and let the air catch her ribbons delicately. Before she knew it, she was consumed with the dance, forgetting all about her surroundings and losing herself completely to her true passion in life. Her imagination took her back to her native homeland, full of crunchy bamboo, the traditional Chinese people, the beautiful fauna, the –

_Crack!_

Her purple eyes snapped open. Slowly, she forced herself to look down and her heart sank at the sight of the yellow, jello-like substance just a foot away. Vinnie's look of horror matched her own.

After what seemed like an eternity, she found her voice. "I... I...!"

"I'm so sorry, Penny Ling!" Vinnie said, remorse thick in his voice. He bent down and picked up one half of the cracked shell, looking as if he could barely believe what just happened. "Oh man... I can't believe I let myself get so carried away!" he wailed. He looked up at her with eyes filled with guilt. "I should have never suggested that. Now, Ace is..." he swallowed. "He's..."

Penny Ling's voice cracked as she said, "V-Vinnie, no, it's –"

"It's _not_ okay!" he snapped, though the anger was directed more towards himself than at the girl next to him. "I can't do anything right. I really do just mess everything up! It's no wonder people think I'm dumb."

Penny Ling broke out in tears, collapsing onto the floor. Vinnie looked on, bewildered, as tears flowed freely from the little panda's eyes and her body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. He walked over and awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to console her. His guilt was being amplified more with each passing second. It was bad enough to mess up, but he absolutely despised himself for making Penny Ling cry. It was one of those things that really got to him.

"I'm so sorry," he said again, sighing deeply.

"Vinnie, no. It's not y-your fault," Penny Ling managed to say, swiping at the seemingly endless flow of tears. "It's _my _fault. It was me!"

"What?"

"It was me, Vinnie. I was so wrapped up in my silly dancing that I bumped right into it with my hip and... and you know the rest," she sniffled. She peered at him through her wet eyes, trying to stop herself from trembling. "I'm really, truly sorry. You're not a screw-up, Vinnie. I am. After all that about being careful, it was me who hurt Ace in the end," she said pitifully, glancing towards their broken "child." "I should have never joined in."

Vinnie smiled softly. "Penny Ling, don't cry. I really hate to see you cry. Really. I do," he laughed, lifting up a drenched foot from the growing puddle that was born from her stream of tears. Penny Ling couldn't help but laugh through her sadness.

"S-Sorry," she apologized. "I really am just a big crybaby sometimes."

"I'm okay with that," he replied, taking her paws and helping her up. Penny Ling frowned once more.

"I know it was just an egg, but... this was really important to me," Penny Ling admitted. "How can I ever be a good mother one day if I let myself get so distracted?"

"It's okay, Penny Ling. It was just a little project. No harm is done, really," Vinnie reasoned. How could he honestly be upset with her? "It was an accident. Lesson learned. We need to be very careful around kids and not forget about them for one second."

Penny Ling smiled, nodding. "That's very true, Vinnie. That's a very good thing to remember."

"Now come on, let's go ask Blythe for help cleaning this up," Vinnie grinned, still holding onto her hand. He had meant to let go as soon as she was back on her feet, but the fact that Penny Ling didn't seem to mind... well, who was he to object?

"For what it's worth, I think you'd be a great father one day," Penny Ling said softly, letting him lead her towards Blythe. Vinnie smiled and blushed.

"Coming from a great Ma like you? That means a whole lot."

******XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Wahh, I gotta get away from this ship. It's too fluffy. XD_

_Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 4**

**********XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ This one focuses on my favorite shipping in the series, Sunil/Pepper (Peppunil)! Thank you all for the reviews, it's really appreciated._

_******XoxoxoxoxoX**_

Sunil stared at the tempting white exterior of their egg, watching as it bounced slightly on his partner's fluffy, striped tail. He licked his lip longingly.

"Um, you know... we can maybe be dropping this project? I am getting quite hungry, and eggs are such a rare delicacy for the mongoose species," Sunil said casually, reaching for the round morsel. Pepper quickly snatched it away.

"Sunil! Are you saying you want to _eat_ our kid? That's cannibalism!" Pepper gasped in horror, clutching her "baby" to her cheek. Sunil flinched.

"But we're not eggs! We're a mongoose and a skunk! We can't even _lay_ eggs! That's just a chicken egg," Sunil reasoned. His stomach grumbled at the thought of gorging himself on the yolk inside. Pepper wagged her finger at him.

"Listen, I know it's just an egg. But for the sake of this game, this is our child. Our little rugrat," Pepper said affectionately, flicking a bit of dust off of its shell. "You're just thinking with your stomach right now. You don't really want to do that, do you?"

"I am supposing you are right," Sunil admitted, feeling a little guilty now that she put it that way. "I am not being a very good sport about this. What do we call it?"

"That's a very good question," Pepper replied, rubbing her chin as she pondered. "Is this a girl or a boy?"

"I don't think I'd really mind, actually," Sunil mused, thinking back to his younger days with his own family. "I actually had two older sisters, and I was fine with that. My mother and father didn't mind either. So either is fine as far as I am concerned."

Pepper looked up at him with piqued interest. He had never shared that bit of information before. "Really? I never knew that... I grew up with a bunch of rowdy brothers," she laughed, fondly remembering her older and younger siblings. "I guess that explains why I'm not very ladylike, huh?"

Sunil gave her a bright smile. "That is all in the eyes of the beholder, as they say. I couldn't imagine you being like Zoe, or Miss Madame Pom."

Pepper smiled back, slightly touched. "Yeah? Thanks Sunil!"

The way she was smiling at him started to make him feel a little embarrassed, so he quickly turned his attention back to the egg resting on her tail. "So, er, what should we name him?"

"Him? Okay, let's see..." Pepper wracked her brain for a moment before deciding on a great one. "Rikki-Tiki-Tavi!"

…

"You're not serious?" Sunil said flatly. Pepper struggled to keep a straight face. "From that one movie?"

"Yeah! You don't like it?" Pepper replied innocently.

"It's from a _movie_! You are just saying that because he was from India and he was a mongoose!" Sunil shot back.

Pepper grinned. "Just like you! You should be honored!"

Sunil pouted, not quite sure if he should be flattered that she wanted to make an indirect reference to him or insulted that she compared him to a silly cartoon character. Pepper burst out laughing and placed an arm around his shoulder.

"I'm just yankin' your tail, Houdini," she said, snickering. "I say we give him a nice Indian name. Why don't you pick one?"

"Really? I am honored," Sunil blushed. "Um... how about Aatmaj? He is our first 'son', in a way."

"Aatmaj, huh? I like that!" Pepper approved.

"Then it's decided," Sunil nodded, looking at little Aatmaj. "Now, it's time to start teaching our little one. I want him to be a great magician someday, just like his father," he said pridefully.

Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Woah, hold the phone. Who said anything about him being a magician?"

"What do you mean?" Sunil asked, confused. "It stands to reason, no? Children should consider their parents' dreams, at least a little! And I can definitely see my son following in my footsteps."

"But what makes you think he'd want to grow up to pull some rabbit out of a hat?" Pepper asked. She looked over at her impressive collection of comedy props. "It's more likely he'd like to be like his Mom! A great comedian who can make anyone laugh. That's a real dream job!"

"Oh please, Pepper. Anyone can make someone laugh," he dismissed, agitated. "Magic takes _real_ skill!"

"You couldn't even make a hyena laugh!" Pepper snapped. "Comedy take a lot of talent and work, buddy. I don't see the appeal of having Aatmaj blow himself up all the time trying to make stuff disappear! That might be fun for you, but not for my kin!"

Sunil gasped dramatically. "I don't make things blow up _all _the time! Sometimes – but that's not the point!" He looked her over, smirking. "And are you saying that your comedy acts always leave the crowd speechless. Or, at least, in a good way? Hm?"

Pepper faltered, her cheeks turning pink. "Well – uh... that's..."

"Whether you want to admit it, you're not perfect at your 'dream job' either. So you can't just criticize me all the time," Sunil continued.

"Hey, things cool over here?" Blythe strategically intervened, holding a tray of treats intended for the pets. Pepper looked to her for back-up.

"Well, they _were._ Sunil here thinks that our Aatmaj should be a magician! But I say he'd be better off following me and going into the comedy business," Pepper explained, glancing at the blue mongoose as if he were being unreasonable. "What do you think, Blythe?"

Blythe looked at the pair, who in turn looked back expectantly. Honestly, she really loved how passionate both of them were when it came to their hobbies, so she understood how much they wanted their little egg to follow in their footsteps. She first handed each other them their appropriate treat before sitting down in front of them.

"Guys, that's great that you want, uh, Aatmaj, to do what you do. I think that's completely natural," Blythe said. "But you need to keep in mind that he might want to do something different. Pepper, if he wanted to follow Sunil and become a magician, you'd be okay with it, wouldn't you? I mean, you don't _really_ mind Sunil when he wants to share his magic tricks, right?"

Pepper blushed slightly and glanced at her blue companion. "Well... I don't think so. I mean, Sunil does pretty good, honestly. If my boy wanted to go into magic, I-I guess he'd have someone pretty good to look up to."

Sunil looked at her in surprise and admiration. "Wow, I... thank you, Pepper. And, really, I think Aatmaj would learn from the best if he wanted to be a comedian. You truly have a gift."

A sweet-smelling scent filled the air and it was clear that Pepper was happy with his words. Blythe smiled brightly at them.

"See? It's not such a big deal! Parents want their kids to follow in their footsteps, but there's always that chance the kid will find something different to take an interest in. My dad's a pilot, but I'm not even remotely interested. And it's no problem for him," Blythe went on. Sunil and Pepper nodded. "Besides, he might not want to be a magician _or_ a comedian. As long as he's got a good, healthy interest and it's having a positive effect on him and others, I think it's all fine in the end."

"You are right, Blythe," Sunil agreed.

"I think so too," Pepper said with a grin. She coiled her tail around the small egg. "Little Aatmaj's pretty darn lucky to have her as an aunty and us as parents."

******XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ It's so fun writing Peppunil! I adore it._

_Thanks for reading! Only two more chapters left._


	5. Chapter 5

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 5**

**********XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ This one is for the pairing of Digby/Zoe! I'm honestly shocked that I don't see much of this at all, despite the fact that Zoe's been shown to canonically have a crush on him. Many times, I'm confused about how fandom works when we actually get real hints for a ship. Ah well, they're one of my OTPs anyway! :3_

_Anyway, I love this shipping a whole lot and hope we see more of Digby, and the rest of the side-characters in the show!_

_******XoxoxoxoxoX**_

The purple Spaniel trotted along, chatting animatedly to her little girl, whom she christened Beatrice. Beatrice was a remarkably good listener, as to be expected. The cute, sparkly pink bow wrapped carefully around her middle matched the color scheme of her canine mother well. It seemed that any daughter of Zoe Trent's was to be dressed in style, egg or not!

"Sweetheart, I am just so happy to have you around," Zoe continued, smiling at the little egg on her back. "Blythe is a genius for suggesting this! That girl really knows how to bring some interesting things around here," she complimented the girl on the other side of the room. She frowned at her friends, who were all doing their own thing with their own eggs. "I sure wish your father was here, though..."

Zoe sighed deeply, lying down on her stomach. Digby was scheduled to drop by the pet shop today, but it had been two hours, and still nothing. Had his owners changed their minds? Did they move? Did he forget all about her? It was rare for him to visit Littlest Pet Shop to begin with, so all of the above was entirely possible!

_Oh, this is terrible! What if he really isn't coming? Am I doomed to be a single mother to poor little Beatrice?_

Zoe pouted and looked at her daughter. "Oh, Bea. I won't give up! Even if I have to be... alone," she forced out. "I will be a good parent to you!"

…

"But what do parents even do?" Zoe questioned. "Now that I think of it, Gale and I don't even remember much of our parents. Our owners took us in when we were newborn pups. But... my owners have raised me like their own little princess." Zoe smiled fondly, recalling her wealthy, but kind family. "So, maybe I should just take a page from their book and try it out."

She got to her feet, carefully sliding Beatrice off her back and onto a cushy pillow. "Right! I can do this! Bea, Momma's going to show you how to be a little fashionista! It's never too early to learn, darling."

In a flash, Zoe had changed into a cute ensemble of black and pink colors, with sleeveless straps and a flowing skirt that sparkled. The diva went on to strike poses in front of her daughter, getting into the zone.

"And pose! Snap! Bam!" Zoe instructed. She paused for a moment to glance back at Beatrice. "You must really work at it to get it just right, but don't worry! You'll be a natural at it, no doubt. Why, with Digby and I as your parents..." she sighed, smiling. "Well, it only makes sense that you'll be the most beautiful little puppy in the world."

"Wow, is that so?"

Zoe's jaw dropped. That surfer accent was unmistakable. She shakily turned to see her crush trotting towards her, a friendly smile on his face.

"Evening, Zoe," Digby said warmly, sitting next to her. He looked over at the other pets fussing over their eggs. "I gotta admit, it's never a dull moment here. Babysitting eggs?"

"Oh, ha ha! It does seem a little silly, doesn't it?" Zoe said nervously, her usual confidence dissipating in an instant. "I-It was Blythe's idea. A school project, you see. And we all, um... wanted to try i-it..."

Digby nodded his understanding. "It's supposed to get them to understand parenthood, right? My owner's niece is doing the same thing."

"Really? I s-see." Zoe swallowed, her throat suddenly zapped of moisture. What was it about this dog that made her so weak at the knees and lose her composure? How could anyone do this to her? "I... I was just playing along..."

"You were certainly into it," Digby smiled. Oddly, he didn't come off as teasing at all. "Beatrice, was it?"

"Yes," Zoe responded nervously. _Just how much did he hear!?_

Digby padded over to Beatrice, gently stroking the light material of her ribbon. "Ha ha, cute! She definitely takes after her mother."

Zoe blushed as red as a tomato. "Oh my. You're too kind, Digby."

Digby smiled at her. "I'm sorry for getting here so late. My owner's usually late for everything. But it looks like you had things under control, even alone! I'm really impressed. My Mom had to raise me and my brothers alone too."

"She did?" Zoe said, flattered. "She must have been amazing. I mean... Beatrice is still just an egg. She's not a real puppy or anything..."

"That's true," Digby nodded. "And, believe me, we were a lot more trouble than just one little egg. But you were willing to take it on, regardless. But I want to let you know I wouldn't leave that all on you, at least, not if I could help it. I'd definitely want to be there every step of the way with you."

Zoe's heart pounded and she had to resist the urge to fan herself. _Good-looking, speaks french, AND is good with children? This just can't be real. If I'm dreaming, no one wake me up!_

"Digby, I don't know what to say," Zoe smiled. "I'm so glad you're here now. Beatrice and I really missed you."

"And I missed you too," Digby grinned. "Come on! Let's teach Beatrice all about a dog's life!"

Zoe watched him gently pick up Beatrice and followed after him, her tail wagging wildly. Could this day possibly be any more perfect? She had to remember to thank Blythe for this.

******XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Last of the fluff chapters! I think there might be one more and it's all finished._

_Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Our Nest Egg**

**Chapter 6**

**********XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Final chapter, then it's on to wrapping up "What's A Panda To Do", another LPS fanfiction that will be released soon, hopefully! Thanks for all the lovely feedback! I gotta admit, this is probably one of my personal favorite fanfics I've done. C:_

_And to my guest reader, who has reviewed so generously, I'm sorry, I didn't even think of adding Josh into the story officially! XD Now that you've mentioned it, it could have been a good idea. Don't worry, I plan on writing/drawing a proper Josh/Blythe thing sooner or later!_

_******XoxoxoxoxoX**_

It was almost time for the owners to pick up their pets. Shortly before their arrival, Blythe had asked if they had learned anything, and she couldn't help but be impressed and amazed with all they had learned in the short span of time they had attempted the experiment; Russel and Minka had learned the value of compromise, Penny Ling and Vinnie had learned the importance of taking responsibility seriously, Pepper and Sunil had overcome their differences for the sake of their child, Zoe had touched on the idea of being a single parent, and even Digby showed how parenthood could sometimes bring two people together.

"Animals are amazing, eh, Mrs. Twombly?" Blythe was saying to the older woman as she leaned against the front desk, lazily sketching out some new clothing designs.

"Hm? Oh, yes, dear," Mrs. Twombly smiled, organizing some pet toys on the shelf. "They sure are. They are a joy to be around, and we can learn so much from them, just as we can from other people."

Blythe nodded. "You're absolutely right." She paused in her drawing. "Mrs. Twombly, I never thought to ask... do you have any children?"

Mrs. Twombly froze. "That's quite a random question, sweetie."

Blythe hesitated. Was it really all that random of a question? "Oh, sorry. We're doing this thing in school where we set up partners and take care of an egg. You know the deal. So I was just curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, I apologize." Mrs. Twombly suddenly looked very tired, and Blythe wished she could take back her words. "No, I don't have any. Things just... didn't work out. That's how life is sometimes..."

"I understand," Blythe said quickly. "We don't have to talk about it."

"Thank you, Blythe. You're a very sweet child," Mrs. Twombly said gratefully. She began to hum cheerfully, much to the younger girl's relief. "I might not have any, but it's such a joy to have you around. It's like I've got a granddaughter around to keep me company."

"Aw, shucks," Blythe blushed, touched. "I think of you the same way. Well, not a granddaughter, but a grandmother," she added with a laugh.

The light jingling sound indicated that someone had entered the building. The two ladies looked over to see Blythe's best friend and working neighbor, Youngmee Song, rush in, breathless. After a minute or two of catching her breath, she looked up at her brunette friend.

"Blythe! Sue told me that your partner was Josh Sharp! Why didn't you tell me?" Youngmee panted, looking as if she was offended that Blythe would withhold such juicy information from her. Blythe cringed.

"Sue's got a big mouth," she muttered. Youngmee grabbed her arm.

"You've gotta fill me in! Over icing pops at the Sweet Shop? If that's okay with you, Mrs. Twombly," she said respectfully. "I know it's not quite time for her to leave."

Mrs. Twombly smiled at the two teenagers. "Oh, a minute or two doesn't make a difference. Run along, girls!"

"You sure, Mrs. Twombly?" Blythe asked.

"I'll be fine. All that's left now is to wait for the owners," Mrs. Twombly replied. "Go out there and have fun, girls."

"Thanks, Mrs. Twombly!" the two girls said as they rushed out of the shop and headed next door.

Mrs. Twombly chuckled and walked towards the daycare room to check on her little charges. Opening the door, the woman had to do a double take; most of the pets were partnered up and standing protectively around little, white eggs. The way they were yapping and squeaking at each other, it almost looked as if they were in deep conversation. Mrs. Twombly just scratched her head, a curious smile spreading across her aged face.

"My, Blythe sure does bring something new to LPS," she said with a fond smile. "Never a dull moment."

******XoxoxoxoxoX**

_Author's Note:__ Aaaannnd, it's complete! Thank you all for reading and I hoped you enjoyed._


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